How to copy and paste on your phone (iPhone and Android)

💡Need to know

• Press and hold on an image or highlighted text to pull up a menu.
• If necessary, drag the selection handles and tap Copy.
• Copied text, links, and images are stored temporarily in the clipboard.
• In the desired field, long-press again and tap Paste.
• Some apps may restrict copying, so it’s not always an option.

Rather than memorizing and retyping something on your phone when you need it somewhere else, use the copy and paste function. Copy and paste lets you make a copy of text, images, and links that you can paste wherever you want. This one trick can immediately make texting, sharing links, and moving photos easier than ever.

The copy and paste process is simple once you know where to press, but the process is slightly different on iPhones® and Androids®. Luckily, the Asurion team learns all the smartphone tricks and special features, from Apple® Visual Look Up to Android tips to help you get the most out of your devices.

Learn how to copy and paste on your phone, whether you have an Android or an iPhone.

How to copy and paste on an iPhone

It only takes a few clicks to copy and paste on an iPhone. Follow these steps.

1. Find the text, image, or link you want to copy.
2. If it’s an image or link, long-press on it to pull up a menu. For a text selection, press and hold on some part of the text.
3. The text should get highlighted. Pull the ends of the highlighted section (which look like lines with circles on the ends) to the left and right to select all the text you want to copy.
4. From the menu, select Copy.
5. Find the field where you want to paste your selection. This could be a new text message draft, online search, or note, among other possibilities.
6. Long-press in this field to bring the menu up again.
7. Select Paste.

If you want to copy everything on a page, you can long-press and drag over the whole selection. You can also long-press on a text message and select Copy to copy the whole message.

Alternatively, bypass the menu for faster copying using three-finger gestures. Just select the text, image, or item you want to copy and pinch inward, bringing three fingers together. To paste, pinch outward by spreading three fingers apart.

You can even use Live Text on iPhone to copy text directly from your photos. Just keep in mind that when you’re copying and pasting something, the formatting may not  always transfer between apps.

How to copy and paste on an Android phone

To copy and paste on an Android, follow these steps:

1. Long-press on the desired text, image, or link. A context menu should appear.
2. For text, drag the blue selection handles to cover all the content you want to copy.
3. Tap Copy in the context menu.
4. Find the field where you want to paste the content you just copied. Long-press again to bring up the menu and select Paste.

Some Android phones like Samsung Galaxy or Google Pixel may have slightly different menus.

When you copy something on an Android phone, that selection goes to the Gboard® clipboard manager. In the clipboard, you can view any text you recently copied and even pin items you use frequently.

How to find clipboard history on Android

Android phone users with Gboard can tap the clipboard icon on the keyboard to view and reuse recently copied items. Just bring up the keyboard by tapping in any open field, and select the clipboard icon from the tool above your keyboard.

To see your clipboard history, you may need to enable this feature first in Settings.

How to copy and paste links and photos on your phone

Copying non-text items follows basically the same process as copying text. Here’s how to copy and paste a link or picture on your phone.

1. Press and hold on the image, link, or other item you want to copy.
2. From the menu that appears, select Copy Image or Copy to clipboard.
3. Long-press wherever you want to paste your selection and press Paste.

Some apps may only allow sharing instead of direct copying, so you’d have to select Share from the menu instead.

FAQs

Why can’t I copy and paste on certain apps?

Some apps block copying for privacy, copyright, or security reasons. It’s also possible there’s a glitch or bug preventing you from copying selections. Try restarting the app or your phone if copy and paste suddenly stops working.

Can you copy text from a photo on your phone?

Yes, you can now copy text that appears in a photo on your phone, like a picture of a book page or sign. iPhone Live Text and some Android devices can detect and copy text directly from images using built-in tools.